“Big Data” is a collection of data sets so large and complex that it becomes difficult to process using on-hand database management tools or traditional data processing applications. Useful information may be derived from the analysis of such big data sets. For example, correlations between variables may be discovered and trends may be identified. Such information derivable from a big data set may be of interest to a diversity of people/organizations, including business concerns, law enforcement agencies, disease prevention agencies, administrative agencies, and so on. However, most of those interested in such information do not have access to such a big data set, much less the physical processing capacity or the data processing tools that would be required to appropriately analyze such big data sets.
In addition, even if someone does have access to a big data set and the ability to process the data, it may still be difficult for them to adequately obtain useful information from the big data set. Generally, for information to be useful to a consumer thereof, the consumer must be able to understand the information as having some meaning that is consequential to one or more of the consumer's objectives. However, the relevant meanings of information are not always immediately apparent, and this is increasingly so as the amount of data involved increases.
The manner in which information is presented may affect whether or not (or how easily) someone can understand the relevant meanings of the information. One useful aid to understanding information is to present the information in a visual form. For example, information is commonly conveyed visually in charts or graphs. When information is presented in such a visual form its meanings are more easily grasped by consumers thereof. For example, it may be easier to see trends, correlations, causal interactions, etc. when information can be visualized by the consumer thereof.
However, when the information to be presented is complex—for example, including multiple variables—charts, graphs, and the like are unable to adequately convey the meanings of the information. In particular, it is difficult to present complex multivariate information in a form that allows the consumer thereof to adequately visualize the information. Charts, graphs, and the like generally can only convey relevant information about two variables at a time, due to their two-dimensional (“2D”) nature. Moreover, even graphs and charts that attempt to model three variables using pseudo-3D perspective images fail to adequately convey complex relationships involving three or more variables, since relevant information is always lost in the rendering of the pseudo-3D image. Since a big data set usually includes numerous variables (possibly hundreds or more) and a multiplicity of data points (possibly millions), information derivable from such a big data set is usually complex and not adequately conveyed by traditional means of visualization (e.g., charts, graphs, etc.).
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides, in part, systems, programs, and methods that allow for visualizing complex information derived from big data sets.
In addition, those persons who may be interested in the information derivable from a big data set may not have ready access to such data, much less the computing power and data processing tools that would be necessary to analyze such a big data set. Furthermore, even if those persons interested in the information could obtain the information, they probably do not have access to means for creating objects that would allow for visualizing such complex information. Without such visualization, they may not be able to fully appreciate the relevant meanings of the information. Accordingly, the present disclosure also provides, in part, systems, programs, and methods that allow an owner of a big data set to provide a service to customers that includes providing means for the customers to obtain an object that embodies complex information derived from a big data set in such a way that the customer can adequately visualize the information.